SOUTHERN CROSS SOLOISTS CELEBRATE 31 YEARS WITH NEW ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP AND ANNOUNCES ITS 17TH QPAC CONCERT SERIES

Anticipation is building ahead of Southern Cross Soloists’ (SXS) 2026 season, marking the ensemble’s 31st year with new artistic leadership and a bold slate of concert events.

The season opens on Sunday 1 March at 3pm with Hush, the first of three concerts curated by the ensemble’s newly appointed Artistic Director, triple-Grammy-winning Queensland flautist Timothy Munro. This season is the ensemble’s 17th Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) Concert Series. Tickets and subscription packages are now available.

SXS’s 2026 program reflects the ensemble’s long-standing commitment to spotlighting exceptional musicians from Queensland, championing the state’s distinctive artistic voices and cultural narratives. Retiring Co-Artistic Directors Ashley Smith (clarinet) and Margaret Blades (violin), who guided the company through a transformative period, will perform alongside Munro throughout the 2026 Concert Hall standard-mode season.

SXS Chair Marg O’Donnell AO said the appointment of Munro marks a significant new chapter in the ensemble’s evolution.

“As we celebrate our 30-year milestone, the Board was delighted to appoint acclaimed musician Tim Munro to lead SXS into its next iteration. Tim is at home performing in town halls, primary schools and on the main stage at Carnegie Hall. He was the driving force behind the celebrated 21st SXS Chamber Music Festival on Tamborine Mountain this year. His vision, imagination and commitment to artistic excellence promise an extraordinary 2026 QPAC Series. Though the ensemble has evolved over three decades, one thing has remained constant: the power of exceptional live performance to connect and inspire audiences.”

To kick off the 17th QPAC Concert Series 2026, SXS presents Hush on Sunday March 1 at 3pm. Tim says, “We start with a bit of musical magic. In our busy and distracting world, live music gives us a space to pause. For Hush, we’re joined by Karin Schaupp, who is truly one of the world’s top classical guitarists. A gentle stillness settles in the hall as we play beautiful music by Marais and Albéniz, Schubert and Fauré.”

On Sunday 14 June at 3pm, SXS presents Carnival of the Animals. Tim says, “This is a fun one. The natural world bursts to life! Birds flock, a swan glides past, kangaroos bound. And in the distance, a dinosaur comes back to life after 100 million years. Groundbreaking research by Anthony Romilio (Australia’s top palaeontologist four years in a row) informed Robert Davidson’s Carnival of the Extinct Animals. And Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals is given a distinctly Australian voice through an adaptation by Michael Leunig. We’re joined by friends and world-class artists, Anna Grinberg and Liam Viney, who tour internationally as the Grinberg-Viney duo.”

On Sunday 18 October at 3pm SXS close out the 2026 QPAC season with Sacred and Profane. Tim says, “This program is especially close to my heart. I love Bach’s music, and I love how movement can enhance live music-making. We’re joined by local circus stars, past members of Circa, whose movements will match the ethereal world of solo Bach. These quiet moments sit beside the playful brilliance of Poulenc, Stravinsky and Shostakovich, and the sheer joy and wild virtuosity of Jennifer Higdon’s Zaka.”

“Join SXS in 2026 for our 17th QPAC season, one that promises to take you to many places…a quiet musical retreat, a circus top, and Australia in the Cretaceous period!” Tim adds.

About SXS:

Passionate exponents for commissioning new Australian music and renowned for fostering creative partnerships with leading international soloists and composers, SXS have commissioned to date over 180 world premiere new works. In early 2022, the Company announced their 10-year legacy SXS Didgeridoo Commissioning Project 2022 – 2032 of new Australian works for didgeridoo and ensemble. In 2026 they will again present their long running festival, the 22nd SXS Chamber Music Festival, on Tamborine Mountain, 14-16 August 2026.

Balancing virtuosity with vibrant storytelling and unique, considered artistic programming, SXS is a collective of some of Queensland’s leading instrumental soloists. Company in Residence at QPAC from 2009 to 2024, SXS will present the 17th QPAC Concert Series 2026, marking 31 years of excellence in music making. Tickets are on sale now at qpac.com.au or phone 136 246.